TV News – 9/2/09

Since I missed the news for two days already this week, I thought you all would probably enjoy seeing some tonight. (Granted, a lot of this I’m sure you’ve read elsewhere, but oh well! Just skip over the stuff you already know!)

First up, Katherine Heigl is taking a leave of absence from Grey’s Anatomy this season. It actually starts this month, so will show (or lack thereof) on-screen sometime starting in November. She will be gone for 5 episodes to shoot a movie with Josh Duhamel. (LOVE him. hah) Anyway, more info on that here with Ausiello @ EW

Of note, if you are interested in how her absence will be worked into the Grey’s Anatomy storyline, check out this article on EOnline (BE AWARE, THERE ARE SPOILERS!)

More news (NOT about Grey’s Anatomy) after the jump!

Some casting news… First up, Chuck is gaining a new face in Kristin Kreuk, of Smallville’s Lana Lang fame, for multiple episodes. More info here, including who her character is going to be, on Ausiello @ EW

Next, Debi Mazar is joining the cast of Castle as the part of Richard Castle’s book agent. She will first appear in October, according to Ausiello @ EW

Finally, Megan Mullally (from Will & Grace) is joining the cast of Party Down, which is tentatively slated to come back in April 2010. More info on her character here: EOnline

In more casting news, Nasim Pedrad & Jenny Slate have been added to the cast of Saturday Night Live, which according to Zap2It, brings the total to now 6 women and 9 men, one of the largest numbers in the cast for this show in recent history.

Good news for Mad Men fans! AMC has renewed the series for a fourth season! More info here: EOnline

More American Idol news… Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne are set to be guest judges during the final two days of auditions in Los Angeles. Read more here at The Futon Critic